Nike Leads Footwear Space Lower After Futures Growth Slows

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Shares of Nike (NKE) are falling after the company reported stronger than expected results, but noted that its futures orders growth slowed. Morgan Stanley recommended that investors buy the stock on today's weakness.

WHAT'S NEW: Nike reported second quarter earnings per share of 74c, versus analysts' consensus estimate of 70c. The company's revenue came in slightly above expectations. The sneaker maker said that its worldwide futures orders were up 7% as of the end of the quarter, versus the same period a year earlier. The futures orders rose 11% year-over-year, excluding currency fluctuations, Nike stated. Last quarter, Nike's futures orders increased 14%, excluding currency fluctuations.

ANALYST REACTION: In a note to investors, Morgan Stanley analyst Jay Sole wrote that Nike's results were "very solid." The company's earnings growth is accelerating at a fast pace, although its results "may have fallen just shy of very high expectations," Sole believes. Nike's futures growth suggests that it is continuing to gain market share, Sole contended. He expects Nike's EPS to increase at a 16% compound annual growth rate over the next three years and predicts that the stock will rise above current levels. The analyst kept a $105 price target and Overweight rating on the shares.

OTHERS TO WATCH: Finish Line (FINL) , which sells sneakers, is tumbling after reporting weaker than expected third quarter profit and providing significantly lower than expected full-year 2015 profit guidance. The company said that running category trends were below peak levels. Following Finish Line's report, the stock was downgraded to Underperform from Neutral at BofA Merrill Lynch.

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